The NLL is "seeking to expand by at least one and as many as four teams" for the '18 season, and Oilers Entertainment Group in Edmonton "is interested in discussing the possibility of owning a franchise that would call Rogers Place home," according to Dan Barnes of the EDMONTON JOURNAL. The nine-team league "already has franchises" in Calgary, Vancouver and Saskatoon. The Rush played in Edmonton’s Rexall Place for 10 seasons beginning in ’06 before moving to Saskatoon. OEG VP/Communications Tim Shipton said, “It’s not a done deal, that’s for sure. The conversations have been positive. It always comes down to the details. But there is interest there.” NLL Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz toured Rogers Place and the Ice District last week and “came away impressed and excited about a potential return of the league to Edmonton.” Sakiewicz: “My No. 1 priority is to talk to NHL teams and NBA teams that have venues that need programming, because it’s great programming. It’s a great product. We don’t have a product problem, for sure. We have a distribution problem.” He added that he "wants to take that product to three or four new cities" in ’18, give them ’19 to "find their feet, then expand again” in ’20 (EDMONTON JOURNAL, 3/22).
ROCK UNSTEADY: In Toronto, Curtis Rush notes NLL Toronto Rock Owner & GM Jamie Dawick has been "losing a 'significant' amount of money year after year, but he won't disclose how much." He purchased the team "for seven figures" in '09 from a group headed by former Rock President Brad Watters. Dawick "thinks he can build attendance over the break-even of around 12,000 paid fans." The Rock in '05 "averaged 17,123 fans a game," but after an 0-6 start this season, attendance "dipped to 8,185 for the last home game." Dawick: "I'm not in this for the money. ... This is not the Toronto Maple Leafs. You're not sitting back and waiting for the phone to ring. I can't have 9-to-5ers. I need to have my director of ticketing to take it personally when we're not doing well." Rush notes Dawick moved some start times for Friday night games back to 8:00pm ET to "make it easier for fans north of the city to attend" (TORONTO STAR, 3/23).
